Abstract

It has been demonstrated that insulin administration, by reducing the blood sugar level, stimulates the vagal center which results in increased secretory activity in the stomach.1 It has been proved that the injection of insulin into dogs with gastric pouches will increase the motor and secretory activity of the stomach if only a few vagal fibers are unsevered.2

Based on these data, a clinical test has been devised to determine whether vagal activity remains following vagotomy in the treatment of peptic ulcer. If there is increased secretory activity of the stomach following insulin injection in a vagotomized patient, it is